Morro Bay 50th Anniversary Dahlia Daze Parade at City Park, Morro Bay

To celebrate Dahlia Daze and the 50th anniversary of the city, Morro Bay is taking to the streets with parade floats and marching bands, cars and horses, bikes and skateboards, dancers and clowns.

The parade gets under way at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at City Park and makes its way through the heart of downtown, going down Morro Bay Boulevard, north on Main Street and back up Harbor Street, ending at the Morro Bay Community Center..

The grand marshal will be Wachtang “Botso” Korisheli. The subject of the award-winning documentary “Botso,” this beloved local music teacher and founder of the San Luis Obispo Youth Symphony is also the creator of Morro Bay’s famous giant outdoor chessboard.

A true community celebration, the parade is being sponsored by the Morro Bay 50th Anniversary Committee, Dahlia Daze, the Historical Society of Morro Bay and the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce.

It is just one of the highlights of this year’s Dahlia Daze celebration, which takes place Sept. 5-6 at the Community Center. The annual event, which honors the city’s official flower, will have several added features this year, including the crowning of the Dahlia Princess.